Sofia share indices close higher, Eurohold drives gains

The benchmark index was additionally lifted by a 7.48% rise in hydraulic equipment manufacturer M+S Hydraulic [BUL:MSH] to 11.50 levs.

Eurohold and M+S Hydraulic also spurred on the broader BGBX40, which tracks the 40 most traded shares on the Sofia bourse. The index closed 2.13% higher at 157.87 points, further propelled by diversified group Zarneni Hrani Bulgaria [BUL:ZHBG], which soared 10.26% to 0.129 levs.

Alongside Eurohold and M+S Hydraulic, an 8.15% gain in Holding Sveta Sofia [BUL:HSOF] to 3.98 levs boosted the BGTR30. The index, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight, leapt by 1.69% to 799.44 points.

The BGREIT, which tracks seven real estate investment trusts, went up 0.16% to 190.30 points on the back of a 0.83% increase in Bulgarian Real Estate Fund REIT [BUL:BREF] to 2.42 levs.

Finally, the BEAMX index, which tracks the ten most highly capitalised growth companies, grew by 1.17% to 101.85 points. It was buoyed by a 7.59% advance at venture capital fund Webit Investment Network [BUL:WIN] to 0.85 levs and a 5.34% climb at biometric identification security systems developer Biodit [BUL:BDT] to 1.38 levs.

Total turnover on the main market of the Bulgarian Stock Exchange ticked up to 696,374 levs ($393,436/356,049 euro) on Friday from 525,118 levs on Thursday.

The day's most liquid stock was Eurohold, of which 232,541 shares changed hands, generating a turnover of 395,320 levs.

The BSE will be closed for trading on Monday for the New Year holiday period.

(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)